CIS, SCO observers call Belarusian elections democratic

Election observation missions from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) called the Belarusian parliament elections transparent, democratic and free.

The CIS mission head Sergei Lebedev told the press in Minsk on Monday that the elections comply with the principles of a democratic, transparent and free ballot.

The CIS observers were impressed by the calm and well-organized preparations and holding of the elections, Lebedev said.

The elections were transparent, free and legitimate, Rashid Alimov, head of the mission and general secretary of the SCO, told reporters.

"The elections took place in accordance with electoral legislation and assumed international obligations," Alimov said, adding the mission had not registered any breaches of national legislation.

The Special Co-ordinator of the OSCE's short-term observers for the parliamentary election in Belarus, Kent Harstedt, said Belarus has partly fulfilled its promises on democratization of the electoral process, but has yet to take some more steps in this direction.

Harstedt expressed hope that the new parliament and government will continue to reform the electoral law. "We are frustrated by the slow progress. Much could have been done for the year (after the presidential election), but it was not," he said, adding that cooperation with the authorities was constructive.

Sept. 11 was the principal day of Belarusian parliamentary elections. Early voting took place from Sept. 6 to 10.

Belarus's Central Elections Commission said in its latest report that voter turnout stood at 74.8 percent. The elections were declared valid. Endit